A Paradoxical Divide
by PenofaPhoenix
Summary: She knew it wasn't going to be easy; no good things were. But for it to have to end up like this? Choosing between love without life or life without love has never been so difficult. My entry for the HP Endurance Challenge Round 2 by simplypotterheads on tumblr.


**TITLE**: A Paradoxical Divide

**SUMMARY**: She knew it wasn't going to be easy; no good things were. But for it to have to end up like this? Choosing between love without life or life without love has never been so difficult.

**CHARACTER**: Hermione Granger

**LoC**: Normal

** PROMPT**: Your character faces a tough decision, one that could affect the rest of their life.

**WARNINGS**: AU; OOC; Dramione

**WORD COUNT**: 1300

**A/N**: This is my entry for the HP Endurance Challenge hosted by simplypotterheads on tumblr! Please read and review!

* * *

She knew it wasn't going to be easy; no good things were. But for it to have to end up like this? Life was cruel - hadn't it dealt her enough difficulties already?

Hermione Granger was a bleeding heart, a "bloody Gryffindor" to the core. So it came to no one's surprise when she began a friendship with Draco Malfoy. It was first only simple "Hello's" in the halls of the Ministry, which then became meetings in the break room, and then lunch and coffee dates. It shouldn't have come to anyone's surprise, really, when Hermione decided to date Draco Malfoy, but of course it did. The Wizarding World shook with the "scandalous" news, Gryffindor's Golden Girl with the Slytherin Prince?! How preposterous! Hermione remembered having a good laugh over it with Draco over their daily morning coffee.

No one expected it to last. Their relationship survived against all odds, against disapproval of the world, and disapproval from the Weasleys, and disapproval from Lucius. They came around though, and it was again headline-breaking news when Draco proposed to Hermione only 7 months after they started dating. The headlines this time were even worse: _Golden Girl Tainted by Prince?_ Their favorite by far was _Hermione Granger Pregnant With Child of Ex-Death Eater?_ after Hermione was photographed leaving St. Mungo's following an appointment for the flu.

So three months later, when Hermione discovered that the headline was realised, she and Draco decided to keep it away from the press; they didn't need their unborn child already thrust in the spotlight. But of course, news got out, and now Hermione was here.

Six months pregnant, standing on the edge of Muggle and Wizarding London, wondering whether she could leave it all behind. She knew if she left, she would be hard pressed to return.

Rodolphus Lestrange, _that bastard!_ He had been so afraid of contamination within the pure Malfoy family line that he had cursed Draco, unbeknownst to anyone. Draco could not breed with a muggle-born or muggle, for fear of producing a Squib. Hermione and Draco's unborn child would not be a Squib; but he was slowly draining the magic out of Hermione. And Draco didn't know.

Hermione couldn't, wouldn't abort the baby. She loved him too much for that. But she didn't know if she could stand living in a world surrounded by wizards and witches when she had been unfairly robbed of her magic. She could leave the baby with Draco and then disappear. Or she could keep the child with her, and raise him like a muggle-born. Either way, the Wizarding world would be a hostile place once they discovered what had happened.

* * *

It was after the Weasley family dinner when Hermione realised that it would be for the best. All around her, the magic was potent in the air, an inescapable vapor that would undoubtedly suffocate her. When saying her goodbyes, she held on for a bit longer than usual, and kissed Harry on the cheek, as she always did, but proceeded to hug every single member of the Weasley family the best she could with her distended belly. Harry looked at Hermione oddly, but said nothing of it.

And later that night, Hermione was in bed, with Draco's arm wrapped snugly around her, and a blanket tucked over her belly, when tears began leaking out of her eyes. Draco lifted his head from the pillow and looked at Hermione, asking whether she was okay. Hermione forced a smile, shaking off Draco's concern by blaming the tears on the hormones. But her days like this, safely encircled by Draco's embrace, were limited, and she now knew what it meant to live each day to the fullest.

She now smiled at all her co-workers in the Ministry of Magic - they wouldn't be her co-workers for long - and generously tipped her servers at her favourite restaurants, and enjoyed every day and night with Draco.

* * *

It was one evening when Hermione was about seven-and-a-half months pregnant when she decided it was time. Draco was at a business dinner and wouldn't be home until midnight. She had known this day was coming for a few weeks now: her train ticket and muggle passport were in her nightstand, along with numerous letters addressed to her friends and family. She pulled out her suitcase, and proceeded to pack by hand, something she would have to soon reacquaint herself with.

Placing Draco's letter on his pillow, she turned at their bedroom door, hesitating. It was best to take their son with them. She could take a bit of Draco with her, her only connection to the magical world she once called home. Using what remaining bits of magic she had left, she summoned the throw that she and Draco had since they began dating. It was threadbare in places now, the brown threads fraying, but had Draco's scent interwoven within. Clutching the blanket, she turned and walked out of their penthouse apartment, trunk in tow. Sticking her wand arm, she summoned the Knight Bus for the last time.

* * *

It was on the train to Paris when Hermione finally broke down, sobbing quietly into that threadbare blanket. Her tears attracted the pitying stares of many; it was only a fraction of what it would be like if she'd stayed in the Wizarding world, an ex-witch without magic. So she brushed away her tears and shed her old skin as Hermione Jean Granger-Malfoy, "Gryffindor's Golden Girl" and war heroine; instead, she was now Hermione Jean, a researcher for_ L'Institut Curie_ in Paris.

And she was also a heavily pregnant, single mother. Luckily she already had an apartment set up in one of the Paris _arrondissements_ courtesy of _L'Institut Curie._ It wasn't registered under her name, and with her small inheritance from her grandparents as her bank account, Hermione would remain undetectable. And that's how she wanted it.

* * *

It was on the bed of the best Wizarding hospital in Paris, in the midst of labor, when Hermione's pregnancy-addled brain decided to succumb to the thoughts that had been teasing Hermione for the past few weeks. She could only imagine how Draco reacted when he found she was gone. He would have undoubtedly gone to Harry first, after screaming in frustration and probably breaking a few things, wondering if his wife had left him because of something he'd done. He always had a tendency to blame himself in their relationship. But of course, Harry would have known nothing.

All along, while pregnant Hermione waddled around her apartment, with severe heartburn and having to buy her own groceries, she hadn't really questioned her decision. But it was on the bed, screaming while in the pains of labor, when a sliver of doubt began to trickle in her mind. _Was it best for the baby? Was Hermione just being selfish?_ She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, as another contraction ripped through her body.

Before she knew it, she had a beautiful blond baby boy safely in her arms. _Scorpius Hyperion Jean_. She would respect Draco's wishes for the baby's name: it was the least she could do after it all. Her baby boy opened his eyes, the same shade of stormy grey as his father. Hermione had felt the last bits of magic drain out of her as the doctors cut the umbilical cord. Scorpius would be powerful, and intelligent, and witty, and clever. Everything a parent could want. Oh but Hermione envied her newborn son, for he would have untold powers at the expense of her own. Alas, she could only love Scorpius the best she could, raising such a powerful wizard in a Muggle world. There was nothing to be done now.

A mother's sacrifice: Love is the ultimate protection.

* * *

**A/N**: I'm really not happy with this piece. I tried to do all completely narrative driven piece from third-person limited (Hermione's POV obviously), but I'm not sure how well it worked out… UGH. Not to mention the scenes are rather choppy and not cohesive. -_- Once I have the time, I will probably come back and heavily edit the piece, and maybe add another section later if I have the time! **PLEASE REVIEW**! Also, go check out my poll on my profile to **vote for my next works! :)**


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